Fanciful buildings, concrete arches and half domes cling to a hillside along the dry river gorge where architect Paolo Soleri built Arcosanti, his dream for urban living. The site near Cordes Junction north of Phoenix offers guided tours. This shot by Kristin Tovar of Tucson offers a preview. See more of her photos at instagram.com/whyilovewhereilive. Kristin Tovar

Winter's all a-whirl at the ice rink at CityScape in downtown Phoenix. Judy Arsenault of Goodyear was there taking in the view of the skaters. See more of her photos at instagram.com/judea70. Judy Arsenault

Chante Fox and Cody Howard, both of Scottsdale, set out for a three-day backpacking trip in the Superstition Mountains to celebrate their birthdays. While trekking the Superstition Ridgeline, they were greeted with low-lying inversion clouds. Fox titled her photo of Howard: "On Top of the World." See more of her photos at instagram.com/chantefox. Chante Fox

Mishi the shepherd mix "is the sweetest girl you will meet, such a social butterfly," says her owner, Elaine Reyna of Sierra Vista. The festive pair were hiking in Carr Canyon. See more of her photos at instagram.com/mishimathews. Elaine Reyna

It's a festive time in the Arizona desert for Christmas! Josie Fedo of Phoenix went for a hike in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve and brought along some ornaments, too. She says: "I left a few on a summit (which I'll be back to remove). It was a fun little excursion on one of my favorite trails." See more of her photos at instagram.com/shunthesun. Josie Fedo

What a face! Kim Stone, who works at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park near Superior, found a burrowing owl with "green fire in its eyes" at the arboretum's Bye Bye Buzzards event. See more of his photos at instagram.com/boycethompsonarboretum. Kim Stone

As Destry Bunnell of Tempe was leaving WestWorld in Scottsdale, birds took flight over the horse sculpture. She says she feels like her photo of the moment "captured the utterly free feeling of riding a horse into an Arizona desert sunset." See more of her photos at instagram.com/destry_michele. Destry Bunnell

It's an Arizona tradition: Decorate the cactus! Judy McCord of Scottsdale spotted this cactus festively attired for the holiday season at a home near Camelback Road and 44th Street. The couple who owns the home has been bringing the sparkle for 31 years, she says. See more of her photos at instagram.com/ilovescottsdale. Judy McCord

This otherworldly view is actually in the Superstition Mountains. Cody Howard of Phoenix explains, "We knew the warm rains ... would lead to some really cool low-laying, inversion clouds, so we packed for an overnight backpack trip to the Superstition Mountains and hunkered down in this cave for the night, out of the rain. As expected, when morning came, a river of clouds was sweeping up the valley." He and Chante Fox were celebrating her birthday. See more of his photos at instagram.com/_cody_howard_. Cody Howard

Coal Mine Canyon on the Navajo Nation is "truly an unspoiled gem of the Arizona landscapes," says photographer Seth William Page of Chandler. He was on an excursion with some fellow photo enthusiasts and "as the light changed and dusk descended, certain areas of the canyon began to reveal themselves, and that's when the potential of the place really came alive." See more of his photos at instagram.com/therealsethpage. Seth William Page

"One of my favorite things to do is to wander around the desert and photograph the saguaro," says Lennis Wayne of Phoenix. He found this one on his first visit to Lost Dutchman State Park. See more of his photos at instagram.com/lenniswayne. Lennis Wayne

Even the mighty monoliths of Monument Valley are dwarfed by the sky. Erik McCorvey of Anthem shot this frame toward the end of a nine-day road trip that also included the Rocky Mountains and Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. See more of his photos at instagram.com/wedscvr. Erik McCorvey

Creative concentration in play at the Phoenix home of Kyla Borders. Her children were taking part in the family tradition of creating a gingerbread house. "For them, it's a Christmas they can call their own," Borders says. See more of her photos at instagram.com/phoenixandsimone. Kyla Borders

"It struck me as the perfect symbol for Christmas in Phoenix," writes Mike Saucier of Phoenix about this saguaro decorated for the season that he spotted in Paradise Valley off Lincoln Drive. See more of his photos at instagram.com/mikethesauce. Mike Saucier

"We set out before dawn to hike South Mountain," writes Donjay Schraeder of Ahwatukee. A three-mile hike on the Hidden Valley trail led him and Steph Belt of Gilbert to this natural rock tunnel. He writes: "There she is taking photos on the other end, while I'm taking a photo of her." See more of his photos at instagram.com/donjay. Donjay Schraeder

"Sunsets are my passion," writes Robert Cline of San Manuel. This beauty brought his Jeep ride to a halt off the Continental Mine road near San Manuel. See more of his photos at instagram.com/robertcline1984. Robert Cline

A vision from a Christmas past, this building in Show Low caught the eye of Jerry LeMay of Oro Valley as he and his wife were visiting friends in Show Low one year. See more of his photos at instagram.com/jerrys_postcards. Jerry LeMay

Lori A. Johnson of Phoenix caught these queen butterflies in a botanical feast at the children's garden at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park near Superior. See more of her photos at instagram.com/lajphotos. Lori A. Johnson

A curious Pyrrhuloxia "popped up on the fence to see what I was doing," writes Vernie Aikins of Tucson. Aikins had stopped along Willcox Playa to take a closer look at some sparrows when he had this visitor, which is also known as the "gray cardinal." See more of his photos at instagram.com/pedalpics. Vernie Aikins

Kelly Gilling of Cave Creek spent Thanksgiving at the Grand Canyon with her family. It was the first visit for her children, and, she writes, "They were awestruck! The only sight more amazing than the Grand Canyon is a beautiful sunset over the Grand Canyon!" See more of her photos at instagram.com/spotinthesonoran. Kelly Gilling

Meet baby Nandi. She was born at Tucson's Reid Park Zoo in August and has already gained over 100 pounds, says photographer Carrie Kahus of Phoenix. She writes: "Hopefully, these pictures will cause you to take a moment and pause as to how important nature is to us in the world!" Carrie Kahus

The Hieroglyphic Trail in the Superstition Mountains offered Jaymz Robertson of Gold Canyon quite the view of the Phoenix area. See more of his photos at twitter.com/Inked_Dragon. Photo by: Jaymz Robertson

On her daughter's fifth birthday, Amy Davila of Phoenix stepped outside and the morning sky looked like this. "I am always amazed by the sunrise, but with the clouds it was breathtaking," she writes. See more of her photos at instagram.com/amee_ann. Amy Davila

"It was a JOURNEY to get there!" exclaims Bill Cantey of Phoenix of his journey to Mooney Falls in Havasupai. He set up this self-portrait with a timer. See more of his photos at instagram.com/b_illll. Bill Cantey

"I loved the view as the sun was setting on the San Francisco Peaks that evening," writes Mackenzie Goldtooth of Tuba City. Goldtooth had this view out at the homestead his family calls Coyote Flats. See more of his photos at instagram.com/mckgold. Mackenzie Goldtooth

Here in Arizona, we have a different kind of wave. These remarkable formations are part of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and are isolated and difficult to reach. Daniel Alpert of Flagstaff shot this frame in the White Pocket area. See more of his photos at instagram.com/danieljames.a. Daniel Alpert

Carly Cipinko of Scottsdale took a gander up to New River's Roadrunner restaurant with some friends. She says they were "out enjoying the cool weather, having some drinks, listening to the live band they had and playing horseshoes." See more of her photos at instagram.com/ylraccarly. Carly Cipinko

Sara May of Gilbert was out for a walk near Gilbert's Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch. She says, "There are stables butted up against the preserve, and many people stop to see the horses. That night there were four of them. They were playing, chasing each other and jumping around having a great time. It stirred up a lot of dust so they were silhouetted against the setting sun. It was beautiful." See more of her photos at instagram.com/sara_may. Sara May

Some may tiptoe through the tulips, but here in Arizona, we play among the sunflowers. Laurie Farkas of El Mirage captured her friend's daughter Mia in a moment of joy at the Rocker 7 Farm Patch in Buckeye. See more of her photos at instagram.com/haveteacupwilltravel. Laurie Farkas

"My friend and I chased the sunset and captured it right before it completely set," writes Maria Barajas of Mesa of her photo adventure in east Mesa. See more of her photos at instagram.com/mareabarajas. Maria Barajas

A photo-worthy moment presented itself to Emma Bui of Port St. Lucie, Florida, during her visit to Melody Arch, North Coyote Butte, in northern Arizona. See more of her photos at instagram.com/applel0v3r. Emma Bui

Now here's a unique perspective on one of Arizona's most famous waterfalls. Rebeca Rodriguez of Paradise Valley writes that it was her first time hiking down to Havasupai and seeing Mooney Falls. See more of her photos at instagram.com/8tskid. Rebeca Rodriguez

The forces of erosion appear to have carved a heart in northern Arizona's Antelope Canyon. Sarah Beasley of Phoenix captured the play of light and shadow. See more of her photos at instagram.com/sarahjanebeasley. Sarah Beasley

Oh, no big deal, just a tarantula the size of a man's hand. Chris Billey writes that he was photographing a golf tournament when he spotted the spider hanging out just off the green. "Luckily, I'm not an arachnophobe," he says. See more of his photos at instagram.com/chrisbilley. Chris Billey

It's time for a little fall fun for Finley Kesti of Flagstaff and pal Juniper. Finley's mom, Jessica, took the photo of the playful pair along Sedona's West Fork trail. See more of her photos at instagram.com/jessica_kesti. Jessica Kesti

Douglas Miles of San Carlos asked his sister Joanne Miles-Long to pose for a portrait with his grandson, Lennox Cota Hill. He writes: "In this photo, Joanne reminds me of my mom, Marjorie Miles. Of course, Lennox, from the determined look on his face, is now taking his place in our family legacy, even if he's wearing a onesie." See more of his photos at instagram.com/dmiles1_apache. Douglas Miles

"I was walking into my apartment right around sunset and just happened to look up and see the plane about to fly near the moon," explains Kyle Benne of Scottsdale. "I ran inside, grabbed my camera and snapped the shot just in time." See more of his photos at instagram.com/kbenne21. Kyle Benne

The last of the aspens colored by fall stand tall against a blue sky in Lockett Meadow near Flagstaff. Mike Ince of Mesa captured the scene on the last weekend before the winter closure. See more of his photos at instagram.com/mike_ince. Mike Ince

Look closely: That's not a dog enjoying the view of Sedona. Isaac Nelson of Lake Havasu City says, "A group of four wet coyotes came out of the brush right in front of us. This one stopped and watched us for a few minutes before it caught up to its pack across the road." See more of his photos at instagram.com/eyesac928. Isaac Nelson

"I went up Mount Lemmon with my daughter in search of some fall colors," says Mary Zumwalt of Tucson. "We were picking leaves to bring back down, and she picked the most perfect leaf ever, so I had to take a picture." See more of her photos at instagram.com/mary.pixel. Mary Zumwalt

"I grew up hiking, swimming and riding horses every day in Sedona and the surrounding areas," writes Leah Joy Lindner of Phoenix. She snapped this cloud-dappled view of Sedona's red rocks. See more of her photos at instagram.com/leahjoylove. Leah Joy Lindner

John Ryan of Scottsdale encountered this caterpillar while out walking his dog in Scottsdale. "I was intrigued by his bright coloring and ran back outside with my camera after we got back in," Ryan says. "I was able to get him to crawl onto my lens cap for awhile." See more of his photos at instagram.com/JohnRyanPhotos. John Ryan

A film project brought Ionut Turda of Romania to the edge of the Grand Canyon near the Skywalk. He's working on "Around the World in 4K," filming important tourist destinations around the world. His friend Mircea Goia of Phoenix joined him on his Canyon trek and snapped this photo with his iPhone. See more of his photos at instagram.com/mirceagoia. Mircea Goia

Fall comes to Arizona's high country in a burst of yellow color as the aspens turn. Veronica Carrillo of Phoenix captured autumn's glow on the Inner Basin Trail near Flagstaff. See more of her photos at instagram.com/roni_carrillo. Veronica Carrillo

Ashley Espe of Scottsdale (left) and Mandy Snell of Mesa shared a little "love for the mountains" pose for Jeff Santangelo of Mesa. The trio were hiking the Wind Cave Trail at Usery Mountain Regional Park. See more of Santangelo's photos at instagram.com/jsantangelo67. Jeff Santangelo and Mandy Snell

Arizona sunsets make their own art, but the focus of this photo is squarely on the mural by artist Lalo Cota. Alyssa Aragon of Chandler spied it behind {9} The Gallery near Bragg's Factory Diner in Phoenix. See more of her photos at instagram.com/neweragone. Alyssa Aragon

Halloween means it's time to pick from a pack of pumpkins. Andrea Trimbur of Scottsdale found these in Queen Creek at Schnepf Farms' Pumpkin and Chili Party. See more of her photos at instagram.com/andyyy17. Andrea Trimbur

A post-storm stroll led Kirsten Kraklio of Phoenix to this hint of a palm tree in a puddle at the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix. See more of her photos at instagram.com/kirstenkraklio. Kirsten Kraklio

Aspen in their full fall glory color the mountains near Flagstaff. Gerry Groeber of Mesa captured the golden scene at Lockett Meadow in northern Arizona. See more of his photos at onelightimages.com. Gerry Groeber

A flock of birds takes flight around a grain silo in Phoenix. Photographer Joseph Kissel of Phoenix captioned it with lyrics from the movie "Mary Poppins": "Feed the birds, tuppence a bag." See more of his photos at instagram.com/0htheplacesy0uwillg0. Joseph Kissel

Bradley Owens of Tucson captured this forest of saguaros illuminated by a full moon in Saguaro National Park in southern Arizona. He writes: "Worth waking up at 3 to get in position to watch the full moon setting as the sun was beginning to rise directly behind me." See more of his photos at instagram.com/bradleyaowens. Bradley Owens

Arizona clouds make an epic backdrop for 9-year-old Lachlan Houghton of Phoenix. He was at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix with his mother, Belinda, who framed the movie-worthy scene. See more of her photos at instagram.com/belhoughton. Belinda Houghton

It looks as if a river of light is flowing down the Mogollon Rim. Brooks Crandell of Queen Creek made this long exposure of the Beeline Highway near Forest Lakes. See more of his photos at instagram.com/brookscrandellphoto. Brooks Crandell

It's feeding time for baby hummingbird. Joe Salembier of Scottsdale says, "We had a hummingbird nest, and I was able to capture
a photo of the babies. Then, after they left, I saw the mother feeding one of them." Joe Salembier

Some say the Westward Ho is haunted. Can you blame them, after looking at this convincingly spooky photo by Eric English of Phoenix? See more of his photos at www.ericenglishphotography.com. Eric English

Sindy Diaz of Scottsdale writes that she took this photo at Watson Lake in Prescott during a hike with her husband. "Being in such a beautiful place, surrounded by so much beauty, was just what we needed. It was refreshing to be somewhere we had never been and taking it all in." See more of her photos at instagram.com/sindy_ldb. Sindy Diaz

Hikers on top of Papago Park's Hole-in-the-Rock formation take in a sublime Phoenix sunset as photographer Veronica Carrillo of Phoenix snaps the scene. See more of her photos at instagram.com/roni_carrillo. Veronica Carrillo

Tricia Polsky of Tucson was out on a hike with her daughter to Seven Falls in Bear Canyon in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area near Tucson: "It was several days after all of the heavy monsoon rains. I've been numerous times before, but I've never witnessed the falls flowing like they were that day!" See more of her photos at instagram.com/tpwheels. Tricia Polsky

It's a popular trend in photography on social media: Pics that show "from where I stand." Megan Kawasaki snapped this scene
with Taylor Mason during a photo shoot for their Phoenix-based business, the NOMI Project. See more photos at instagram.com/thenomiproject. Megan Kawasaki and Taylor Mason

The wild mustang: Symbol of the West. Guide Jessica Holiday came across this small band in Monument Valley while leading a tour: "We were all so surprised and delighted they were willing to let us photograph them." See more of her photos at instagram.com/jjjessica_rose. Jessica Holiday

Ashley Nicole Allen of Phoenix likes to post photos of her dog, Creedmore the Great, under the Instagram handle @creedmorethegreat. She captioned this one: "Can we go for a walk/skate, mom? I promise I won't run full speed!" She says she adopted Creedmore, a 2-year-old boxer, about five months ago, and that they often go on skateboard rides "since he has soooo much energy." Ashley Nicole Allen

The Burton Barr branch of the Phoenix Public Library has won several architecture awards for its unique features. Alex Whiten of Glendale turned his lens on the skylights, which resemble lit tapers on the summer solstice. See more of his photos at instagram.com/alexwhiten. Alex Whiten

A night drive through the Superstition Mountains on the Apache Trail led Dustin George of Mesa to Tortilla Flat, all aglow in neon light. The tiny town started out as a stagecoach stop. See more of his photos at instagram.com/dustin_george. Dustin George

Deep inside the Lava River Cave in Flagstaff, Michael Genovese of Mesa took advantage of the darkness to create some light trails. The mile-long cave was formed about 700,000 years ago. See more of his photos at instagram.com/su1c1de_king. Michael Genovese

The desert hairy scorpion won't deliver the same painful sting as the bark scorpion, but would you dare hold one? Maura McMillan of Phoenix caught this one when it fell out of a bowl in her machine shop. She says, "It wasn't showing aggressive behavior so I let crawl around on me for a bit." She kept it as a pet for three years. See more of her photos at instagram.com/mauralynn. Maura McMillan

The blushing petals of this rose drew in Susan Marvin of Tucson. She noticed it at her workplace's garden and snapped a photo with her phone. "I'm an art student and love to watercolor paint. I hoped for a good reference photo for a future painting," she explains. "I thought the pink blush of the petals was simply beautiful." See more of her photos at instagram.com/smarvinaz. Susan Marvin

You don't see THIS too often in Phoenix! Holly Spence of Coolidge snapped this moment worthy of saving: Her daughter Jayden with so much rainwater in her shoes she had to stop to pour it out. See more of her photos at instagram.com/holly_ann61. Holly Spence

The Milky Way arches its way through the sky in this panorama by Josh Wallace of Tucson. He went to Mount Lemmon's Windy Point Vista at 3 a.m. to shoot the skies. See more of his photos at instagram.com/_joshwallace. Josh Wallace

A bit of water on the ground offers a new way of seeing things in downtown Phoenix. Eric Mulvin of Phoenix shot this reflection near 1st and Adams streets. See more of his photos at instagram.com/desertdj. Eric Mulvin